Innersole



/ Sept. 18, 1923.

- E. A. HOWE INNERS 0LE Filed June' 1, 1922 Iwvewtor ZZZUZLn/ Howe.

and arrangement of parts-set Patented Sept. 18, 1923..

ELVIN A. HOWE, OFBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

INNEBSOLE.

Application filed June 1,

ToaZZ whomz't may concern: 1 V e it known that. I, ELVTN A.,Hown,citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Innersoles,of which the following is a specification.

his invention relates to an inner sole and has for its object to providean article of the character mentioned so constructed that it may belaundered indefinitely without inur J nother object of the invention isto so construct an inner sole that the stiifeners employed therein maybe easily removed therefrom when said inner sole is laundered. Theinvention isjprovided to be used by persons whose feet perspireexcessively with the result that the interior of the shoes, especiallyat the bottoms thereof, become saturated with moisture to such an extentthat said shoes become wear, and when the shoes dry out the bottomsthereof become stiff and hard, and often crack and form ridges whichalso renders said shoes uncomfortable to wear.

The invention consists in the combination forth in the followingspecification and particularly pointed out in the claims thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an inner sole embodying the invention, aportion of the upper layers of fabric being broken away to more clearlyillustrate the stiifeners located within the inner sole.

F ig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 33 of Fig. l.

' F ig. 41 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 4P4 of Fig. 1.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of thedrawings.

Inthe drawings, 5 represents an inner sole preferably constructed of anupper layer 6, an under layer 7, and intermediatelayers 8 and 9, all ofwashable fabric, as, for eX- ample, linen or cotton. -The edge portionsof the layers or fabric 6 and 7 are turned inwardly as illustrated inFig. 2 and sewed together by stitching 10 which extends entirely aroundthe inner sole close to the edge thereof. Other rows of stitching 11,12, 13, 14 and 15 also extend longitudinally of the inner sole 5 andsecure said layers of fabric in the county of Suffolk and veryuncomfortable to 1.

its full length 1822. Serial No. 565,187.

together, the stitching 11 and 12 being located adjacent to the edge oftheinnor sole and approximately parallel thereto, while the rows ofstitching 13, 1 1 and 1.5 are parallelly disposed relatively to eachother and located in the central portion of the inner solo. The rows ofstitching 13, 14 and 15 not only secure the layers of fabric together,but also form pockets 16 and 17 which extend the entire length of theinner sole 5. The pocket 16 is permanently closed at an end 18 thereofand is open at an end 19, and the pocket 17 is permanently closed at anend 20 thereof and is open at an end 21. The pockets 16 and 17 are soarranged that the open end 19 of the pocket 16 is located adjac'ent tothe closed end 20 of the pocket 17, while the closed end 18 of thepocket 16 is located adjacent to the open end 21 of the pocket 17.Stiifeners 22 and 23 constructed of any suitable resilient material,preferably a non-rustable metal, are located in the pockets 16 and 17,respectively, and extend the entire length thereof. The stiifeners 22and 23 when in position prevent the e tremities of the inner sole 5 fromcurling or rolling and hold said inner sole extended preventing theextremities thereof from creeping toward thecentral portion of the footif the inner sole becomes moist and saturated with perspiration.

he device .is laundered as often as may be required at which time thestiffener-s 22 and 23 are removed from the pockets 16 and 17,respectively, and said stiifeners are again reinserted within saidpockets when the inner sole is again used. l Vhen the inner sole islaundered, it is impregnated with starch, dried and ironed in exactlythe same manner as a collar or cuff. and the smooth surface of saidinner sole presents a smooth drv surface with which the stockingcontacts. The tendency'is for the feet to perspire the greatest at thetoes and heel and the stifleners E22 and 23 prevent the extremities ofthe inner sole from curling upwardly when the end portions thereofbecome saturated with perspiration and also prevent said extremitiesfrom creeping toward each other and forming ridges and creases at thecentral portion of the inner sole.

It is evident that any arrangement of stitching may be employed insecuring the layers of fabric together so long as said stitching doesnot interfere with the formation of the pockets l6 and 17.

I claim:

1. An inner sole provided with a plurality of pockets extendinglongitudinally thereof, an open end of one pocket being located ad- 5jucent to 2L.ClOSO(l endof another pocket and stifl'eners-looselymounted Within said pockets and removable therefrom.

2. An inner sole provided with a pair of pockets extendinglongitudinally thereof,

10 one of said pockets being open at the front end of said inner soleand closed at the rear end thereof and the other pocket being closed 'atthe front end of said inner sole and open at the rear end thereof, andstiffeners located Within said pockets and extending the entire lengththereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

ELVIN A. HOWE.

Witnesses:

FRANKLIN E. Low, KATHRYN M. JOYCE.

